ROCKFORD, Mich., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Wolverine
Worldwide (NYSE: WWW) today commended members of Michigan's Congressional delegation for their
support of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2017 and the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of
2017. Both the House and Senate have now passed their respective
versions of the NDAA, which authorizes defense-related programs for
the coming fiscal year. The House and Senate versions of the NDAA
include language that directs the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine
Corps to comply with the Berry Amendment and provide 100%
American-made athletic footwear to service members upon their entry
into the armed forces. The House defeated an amendment proposed to
the defense appropriations bill that would strike this provision
from the NDAA.
Members of Michigan's
Congressional delegation, notably Representative Bill Huizenga, Senator Gary Peters, Senator Debbie Stabenow and Representative John Moolenaar, strongly supported this NDAA
provision. Their hard work and leadership during NDAA consideration
has ensured that military recruits will have access to
high-quality, American-made athletic footwear for training. Their
support and dedication to this effort has also aided the expansion
of manufacturing opportunities in Michigan.
"I thank the members of our Congressional delegation for their
unwavering commitment to the footwear needs of our armed services,"
said Blake Krueger, Wolverine
Worldwide's chairman, chief executive officer and president.
"Supporting this critical provision demonstrates a clear
understanding of the importance of manufacturing in our home state
of Michigan and ensures that
soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines will be provided with
world-class, American-made athletic shoes for use in basic
training. Senator Peters, Senator Stabenow, Representative Huizenga
and Representative Moolenaar are leading the way toward maintaining
a strong industrial base in Michigan and throughout the United States."
Members of Michigan's House of
Representatives, in particular Representative Bill Huizenga, led the effort to prevent any
changes to the athletic footwear provision during consideration of
the House's defense appropriations bill.
During the amendment debate, Representative Huizenga was quoted
as saying, "In Michigan, Bates produces Berry-compliant combat
boots and dress shoes for our warfighters and is ready to do the
same for military recruits with its All-American-made Saucony
athletic shoes."
A majority of the Michigan Congressional delegation voted to
defeat the amendment and protect American jobs.
Enacted in 1941 to ensure the United
States' ability to maintain viable industries for key
military items, the Berry Amendment requires the Department of
Defense to purchase only American-made and sourced clothing,
textiles, foods and other essential military items for our men and
women in uniform. Currently, the Department of Defense
provides a cash allowance to new service members for the purchase
of foreign-made athletic footwear for physical training.
In support of its longstanding partnership with the United
States Department of Defense, Wolverine Worldwide has a
manufacturing plant located in Big
Rapids, Mich., which employs more than 600 people who
proudly build a broad spectrum of footwear for the Department of
Defense. Products manufactured in Big Rapids include combat boots for the
service branches, mountain combat boots for Special Operations
Forces, and military dress shoes.
Wolverine Worldwide has footwear manufacturing capabilities in
its Big Rapids facility for
several of the Company's brands. Bates Footwear is a critical
provider of combat boots and uniform dress footwear to the U.S.
military, and the Company recently invested in an advanced
manufacturing line to produce 100% Berry-compliant Saucony running
shoes in this facility. Wolverine's Saucony brand is a global
leader in high performance running shoes and the Company is looking
forward to the opportunity to build Saucony-branded, American-made
athletic shoes for American service members.
ABOUT WOLVERINE WORLDWIDE
With a commitment to service and product excellence, Wolverine
World Wide, Inc. is one of the world's leading marketers of branded
casual, active lifestyle, work, outdoor sport and uniform footwear
and apparel. The Company's portfolio of highly recognized brands
includes: Merrell®, Hush Puppies®, Wolverine®, Sebago®, Chaco®,
Bates®, HYTEST®, and Soft Style®. The Company also is the global
footwear licensee of popular brands including CAT® and Harley-
Davidson®. The Company's products are carried by leading retailers
in the U.S. and globally in more than 190 countries and
territories. For additional information, please visit our website,
www.wolverineworldwide.com.
ABOUT SAUCONY
Saucony, a division of Wolverine Worldwide, is a leading global
running lifestyle brand that fuses performance, innovation and
style to create compelling footwear and apparel with its widely
recognized brands Saucony and Saucony Originals. Founded in 1898,
Saucony continues to inspire runners everywhere with its award
winning innovations, including the "Geometry of Strong™, PWRGRID+™,
ISOFIT™, EVERUN™, and the Total Run System™ apparel line. At
Saucony, a good day is when we get to run. A great day is when we
inspire someone else to run. For more information, go to
www.saucony.com.
ABOUT BATES FOOTWEAR
With a reputation for uncompromising performance in uniform
footwear, Bates Footwear has been an industry leading tactical
footwear brand for more than 130 years. As the leading supplier of
uniform footwear to all branches of the
United States military, Bates prides itself on providing
footwear vested in superior protection and comfort. Engineered
advancements such as Endurance Performance System, Code 6, Bates
Individual Comfort System and Bates DuraShocks® set the brand apart
and cement its status as the gold standard in uniform footwear. For
more information and to view the product lines visit
www.batesfootwear.com.
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SOURCE Wolverine Worldwide